Picked up Tim around 8.15am heading off to Littlehampton and a day out on the RIB. Stopped first at Admiral Hubbard’s house on the Harbour Wall to pick up a cylinder for George and the Boat Box. Then around to the Marina Cafe to meet up with the Crowd – Alan & Alex K, George and Alex M and Dave. After a hearty breakfast the boat was launched at 11am and we headed out towards the sea with Admiral Hubbard taking the salute from his balcony, for some reason there were not many people on the sea wall, something to do with a wedding I think. Wind was dropping and sea state was good with slight waves and with George at the helm we were soon moored onto the Mulberries Buoy waiting for 12noon slack. Alan and Alex as one team and George and Alex M the other and at just past 12 they were in the water looking at around a 45min dive. Tim, Dave and I waited and a hard boat with PADI divers appeared, they tied onto us and after a while put 3 divers eventually in the water. Soon after our Divers appeared all having had a good dive, viz about 5m and water temperature around 13C and the two photographers Alex K and Alex M saying they had some good pics.
Tim, Dave and I went in soon after, slight bloom but very bright, down to bottom of shot and soon over to the Mulberries. Viz was about 4 – 5m but even with the bloom it was quite bright. We had a good fin around, plenty of life including PADI divers!!! and with plenty of time and air left we headed away from the Mulberries in search of the Landing Craft as discussed before leaving the RIB. It seemed a very long way as we continually followed the rope, we were almost beginning to regret this option when some other divers came towards us, so we must be near and there it was!! The landing craft, well not exactly a landing craft one would recognise but again a fin around and then we decided again as agreed to put up our DSMB’s. I put up mine first and just as we were about to go up the line between Tim and myself appeared this very nosy but friendly Lump Fish (wish we had a camera) who came within a few feet if that. Then up to the surface and picked up by the others.
After a bit of a debate it was decided to do a drift over the Waldron’s which took a little while to get to as the GPS did not seem to be functioning right or was it the operators? George and Alex M went in as one team and Alan, Dave and Tim the other. I took over the helm with Alex snoozing in the RIB and followed them for the next 40mins or so. Picked up Tim, Dave and Alan first then George and Alex M. George after getting back in RIB stated that was one of the ‘Best F…….G Dives’ for a long time in the UK. Alex M had taken his camera again so looking forward to the Dog Fish pics
After that I took the RIB back to harbour by 5pm after a long day of diving, took on fuel for the Saturday divers and had to moor up to the Pontoon as last recovery finished at 2pm!!!!!
Soon everyone was on the way home after a tiring but enjoyable day. (MK)
